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ew1usnr
May 1st, 2018, 05:00 PM
The engine temperature in my Falcon gets too hot when I am stuck in stop-and-go traffic during the summer. I interpreted the problem as insufficient air flow when the engine was idling. Logically, it seemed that a six-bladed fan would move at least 50% more air than the stock four-bladed fan.

I bought a Flex-A-Lite 1717 six-bladed fan off e-bay for $45.99, including postage. The fan is 17 1/8" wide and has rigid aluminum blades on a steel hub.

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I installed it over the weekend and drove the car to work this morning. The fan did not sound any different than the stock fan. I drove home this afternoon in stop-and-go traffic and the air temperature was about 88°. The fan seemed to keep the engine cooler when stopped in traffic and the engine temperature stayed mid-range. The fan also seemed to move heat away more rapidly when the car sped up to 40 mph and the temperature gauge quickly dropped to 1/4. Yaaaay! It works! :)

beerbelly
May 2nd, 2018, 05:03 AM
Good news! These older V8s don't like hot weather much. In addition to the flex fan, I added a reproduction fan shroud to my aluminum radiator. The temp gauge never gets past halfway on the hottest days now.

ew1usnr
May 2nd, 2018, 05:48 PM
Good news! These older V8s don't like hot weather much. In addition to the flex fan, I added a reproduction fan shroud to my aluminum radiator. The temp gauge never gets past halfway on the hottest days now.

Cool! :)

Here's my beastie:

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Jeff W
May 2nd, 2018, 09:50 PM
My stock four blade was upgraded to a stock looking five blade when Sears installed the aftermarket AC unit. The compressor is gone but the fan and underdash unit lives on. I imagine the old compressor was quite a strain for my little 170...